Unique Personality

A mixed-breed dog’s personality will be as unique as each individual dog. Some are more reserved and quiet, while others are a chatterbox willing to entertain with their goofy antics for hours. Some mixed-breeds will exhibit protective characteristics and might make excellent guard dogs, while others might be so sociable and love everybody so much that they’d help the thief pack up your valuables (as long as they got a tummy rub as payment). Whether you’re looking for the quiet and mysterious bookworm, the class clown, or the jock, there is a mixed-breed dog with a perfect personality match for you.

History of the Mixed-Breed Dog

Dogs are believed to have been domesticated about 14,000 years ago, and since they first came into our lives, humans have been selectively breeding them (or at least taking advantage of natural breeding between dogs) to perform certain jobs. This cooperation between species has meant the success of both dogs and humans.

A mixed-breed is defined as a dog from unintentional breeding, with mostly unknown ancestry. And they’ve been around since before there were recognized dog breeds at all. Before humans began intentionally breeding certain dogs with each other to strengthen either physical or behavioral characteristics, the mixed-breed was there. It was from this group of “breedless” dogs that we began picking and choosing certain tendencies and expressions of genes that we molded into recognizable dog breeds with traceable lineages.

There are mixed-breeds of dogs all around the world today. If humans were suddenly to stop intentionally breeding dogs, and the dogs were left to their own devices, within a few generations all puppies and dogs would be considered mixed-breed. Often called “mutts,” they are a favorite of many dog owners and are just as loving and lovable as any other breed of dog.

Mixed-Breed Dog Behavior and Training

Every dog, no matter the breed mix, does best with consistent positive reinforcement training. Many love working for food (who doesn’t?), but also find toys and play with their human very rewarding.

It all comes down to knowing what motivates a dog and using that to your advantage. With positive reinforcement training methods and consistency, every dog is a joy to train and will be an excellent companion. Punishments, whether verbal or physical, not only damage the relationship between a mixed-breed and their owner but also tend not to work in the long run. Often, it creates long-term behavioral issues. By focusing on teaching your dog what to do, rather than on unwanted behaviors, they will be well-behaved sidekicks for life!

Plays Well with Others?

• Positive, proactive exposure to new sights, sounds, people, dogs, and other animals as a young puppy is essential for a dog’s future socialization skills.

• Living with or being around children can be tough for a dog of any breed or breed mix. Take care to introduce and socialize them with children as a young puppy to set them up for success and create a positive association. Young children and dogs should always be supervised, and it’s helpful for a dog to have their own “safe space” where they can go when they need some quiet time.


• Living with other pets in the home can be difficult for a dog of any breed or breed mix. Many dogs can enjoy the companionship of other animals in the home, as long as they have been properly socialized and introduced. However, some breed mixes have a tendency to chase prey more than others, such as hound mixes, spitz or Nordic breed mixes, and herding breed mixes. Make sure to match any potential new mixed-breed with your current pets and have proper and positive introductions.

Exercise Requirements

A dog’s size and energy level determine the amount of daily exercise needed, and a mixed-breed will benefit from different types of physical activity beyond just a daily walk. Play is an important way to exercise your dog and build your bond at the same time (not to mention get some training practice in!). Speak with your veterinarian about the appropriate amount of exercise for your dog’s size, energy level, weight, and age. And any time you want to increase the amount of physical exercise you do with your pup (looking at you Couch-to-5K’ers), make sure to have a vet check first and ease them into it.

Speak with your veterinarian about appropriate exercise for a puppy. Until they are full-grown (bone growth plates typically all close by around 1 year of age, depending on the dog’s size – longer for larger breeds), avoid strenuous or repetitive activities like jogging or running, as this can possibly increase their risk of damage to the growing bone and cartilage and cause pain and future joint issues.

Mental Enrichment Needs

Every dog needs daily mental stimulation and brain games to keep them happy and entertained. Participating in positive reinforcement training for obedience or teaching tricks is a fantastic way to burn extra energy and further build the canine-human bond. Providing natural outlets for instinctual drives, such as digging and chewing, will help prevent destructive chewing or digging in your flower beds.

Common Behavioral Issues

Due to their love of companionship, many dogs need positive exposure to alone time from a young age to help prevent or minimize any separation anxiety from developing. It’s much easier to prevent than to treat once it’s started. Make alone time a positive and relaxing experience for your dog.

Activities Mixed-Breed Dogs Enjoy

Take stock of what your mixed-breed dog seems to enjoy doing, and choose a dog sport or activity based on their natural talents. Do they follow their nose everywhere? Maybe tracking or search and rescue is for them! Do they love water? Check out dock diving! Here’s a list of different dog-centric activities to check out:

• Search and Rescue


• Tracking


• Nose Work


• Earth Dog


• Barn Hunt


• Canine Musical Freestyle


• Rally Obedience


• Agility


• Flyball


• Conformation


• Dock Diving


• Joring


• Sled Pulling


• Carting


• Schutzhund


• Disc dog


• Herding


• Treibball


• Parkour


• Skateboarding/Surfing

Mixed-Breed Dog Coat Type

It depends! A mixed-breed puppy’s coat type will be determined by its parents (or often even further back genetics-wise, since many longhair genes are recessive). Dog coats can range from mostly hairless, to smooth short single-coats, to curly, wiry, or short double-coats, to longer double-coats. The variety of dog fur provides an option for every person’s preference, whether you’re looking for glossy, long and flowing, perfectly coiffed, or extra, extra fluffy!

No matter the type of coat your mixed-breed has, it’s important to keep it properly maintained. While short and smooth coats don’t require as much daily maintenance as longer double-coated dogs, it’s important to keep every dog’s coat clean of dirt, brushed out to keep it free of mats and maintain airflow over the dog’s skin, and regularly trimmed if needed.

Basic grooming care also includes frequent nail trimming (don’t forget the dewclaws if your mixed-breed has them!), tooth brushing, ear cleaning, and paw pad care.

Best brushes for mixed-breed dogs: pin comb, pin brush, slicker brush, grooming mitt

Famous Owners of Mixed-Breed Dogs

• Orlando Bloom (Actor)


• Anne Hathaway (Actress)


• Olivia Munn (Actress)


• Jane Lynch (Actress)


• Miley Cyrus (Singer)


• Kellan Lutz (Actor)


• Ian Somerhalder and Nikki Reed (Actors)


• Kaley Cuoco (Actress)


• Kelly Clarkson (Singer/TV Host)


• Ruby Rose (Model/Actress)

Famous Mixed-Breed Dogs

• Higgins was a spaniel mix most famous for starring as Benji, but also had big roles in Petticoat Junction, Green Acres, and The Beverly Hillbillies


• Star of the 1957 film Old Yeller, Spike


• Laika the space dog became the first animal to orbit the Earth

Non-Endorsement Statement: The social media posts displayed here do not imply any endorsement of these people or products, nor does it imply they endorse Trupanion or our product.

Common Health Conditions for the Mixed-Breed Dog

Use the chart of Trupanion claims data below to find out what health conditions happen most frequently for Mixed-Breed Dogs. Every Mixed-Breed Dog is unique, but understanding what health conditions are likelier to occur can help you be a more prepared pet owner.